Father vs. daughters

Dominic Iocoangeli has coached his two daughters for most of their softball careers.

But he will be in the opposite dugout Saturday when the sisters suit up for Ida in a doubleheader against Jefferson. Their father is an assistant coach for Jefferson.

"We've had it circled on our calendar for a long time," Dominic said.

Dad has been telling the girls not to get too comfortable in the batter's box because he might just tell his pitcher to throw inside.

"I tell them that they had better bring ice packs to the game," Dominic said. "They tell me to bring Kleenex."

The teasing all has been good natured.

"We've been talking about it since the season started," said Melanie, a senior at Ida. "We want to kick his butt."

"It's been normal (around the house), but we joke around about it," added Stephanie, a sophomore. "I think it will be fun. It's a chance for us to see him and his team. He's been coaching us for years."

Would Dominic use the inside information he has learned from years of coaching his daughters against them?

"Oh yeah he would," Melanie said with a laugh. "I think he knows how to pitch us. He keeps saying he will use it against us. It will be weird because he has been coaching us since we started playing."

Dominic says Melanie is exactly right.

"I use every tool I can," he said. "I coach to win. If I can exploit something, yeah, I will. It is what it is."

Dominic has coached softball for Ida's youth leagues and the Lake Erie Lightning travel teams for many years.

That gives him a lot of insight on the Blue Streak softball program.

"I think I've coached every girl on their team for several years with the exception of Ariel Harvey," he said. "It will be different. I am excited, but it will be really hard. I love the Jefferson girls as my own and it's the same way as the Ida girls."

This is Dominic's second season at Jefferson.

When Jeff Barron landed the job as the Bears' varsity coach, one of the first things he did was ask Dominic to help him.

The two have coached travel teams together.

"Both of my daughters played for him on the Lightning," Barron said. "He was the head coach and I was his assistant. When this opening came up for me, I asked if he was willing to be an assistant and he came out to Jefferson with me."

But Dominic had to take some time to consider the offer.

"I spoke to my daughters about it," Dominic said. "They were all for it. They wanted me to coach, no doubts about it. They were going to be at practice every day and what was I going to do. It's better than me sitting at home."

The girls knew that coaching would make their father happy.

"We know he likes coaching," Stephanie said. "He was hesitant because he didn't want to miss any of our games, but we thought he would like it."

Melanie was entering her junior year last spring, after earning a spot on the All-State team as a sophomore. Dominic did not know at the time that Stephanie would make Ida's varsity squad as a freshman.

"I don't think it was as hard on the girls as it was on him," said Ida coach Dawn Forter. "He was bummed that he missed seeing both of his kids."

Dominic was able to see a lot of the Ida games last season.

"Actually, I did see quite a bit," he said. "During the week, Coach Barron let me go a little early and I could see the second game of doubleheaders. It was a pretty nice luxury."

But, unfortunately, Jefferson and Ida did not play each other last season. Barron made sure the Blue Streaks were on the schedule this year.

"He's a big reason for Ida's success," Barron said. "He helped out their youth program a lot."

Dominic's wife, Michelle, is in the middle of the rivalry, but he is certain of where her loyalties will lie Saturday.

"Oh, I know she'll be cheering for Ida," he said.

But Dominic believes he will be able to put the emotions aside once the first pitch is thrown.

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